208 KANDY AND PEKADENIA. [Part VII. 



The cultivation of sugar was introduced by the Dutch, 

 and has been attempted by the EngHsh ^ at various 

 places in the vicinity of JSTegombo, Caltura, and Galle. 

 Of these almost the only estates on which the effort 

 has been energetically persevered in, are a few in 

 the southern province, one especiaUy on the Matura 

 river ; but the series of previous disappointments deadens 

 the hope of any very decided ultimate success. 



The entrance to the Peradenia Garden is through a 

 noble avenue of India-rubber trees (Ficus elastica)^ 

 and the first object that arrests the admkation of a 

 stranger on entering is a group of palms, which is, I 

 apprehend, unsm^passed both in variety and grandeur. 

 It includes nearly aU those indigenous to the island, — 

 the towering tahpat, the palmyra, the slender areca, 

 and the kitool, with its formidable thorny congener, 

 the Caryota horrida, and numerous others less remark- 

 able. Amongst the exotic species are the date-palm, the 

 Livistona chinensis^ some species of Calamus^ and the 

 wonderful Coco-de-mer of the Seychelles.^ Close beside 

 these are marvellous specimens of the symmetrical 

 traveller's tree of Madagascar ^, upwards of fifty feet 

 liigh, surrounded by Yucca? and Scitaminice. Nothing 

 in Ceylon so forcibly impresses a traveller with the 

 glory of tropical vegetation, as this luxuriant and un- 

 rivalled display. 



The garden, covering an area of nearly one hundi'ed 

 and fifty acres, overlooks the noble river that en- 

 circles it on three sides ; and, surrounding the cultivated 

 parterres, the tall natural woods afford a favourable 

 opportunity for exliibiting some of the wonders of the 

 Ceylon flora, — orchideaj, festoons of floweiing creepers 

 [ipomceas and Mgnonias), the guilancl'uia bondiic, with 



^ Sir Echviird I'arnes, witli his j ' See ante, Vol. II. Vt. vii. c-li. ii. 



fliaracteristic vigilance, fomied one 

 of tlie first su<>'ar plantations at 

 A'eang-odde, Ijetween Colombo and 

 Kandv. 



p. 170. 



^ Ravenala sjyeciosa. 



